Google Trends is a Google tool to help users analyze search query trends over time. It’s a friend of marketers, and often a tool most small businesses have never heard of. So, how can you utilize Google Trends for marketing?
We’re going to break down exactly what it does, how to use it, and how it can benefit your business.
What is Google Trends?
According to Google itself, here is an explanation of Google Trends:
Google Trends provides access to a largely unfiltered sample of actual search requests made to Google. It’s anonymized (no one is personally identified), categorized (determining the topic for a search query), and aggregated (grouped together). This allows us to display interest in a particular topic from around the globe or down to city-level geography.
A simpler way to describe it is Google sharing its search query data with users. It breaks down what topics are currently trending and shares that data from 2004 and on. You can even compare a topic’s popularity over time and compare that data to other trending topics.
How to Use Google Trends
Honestly, it’s so easy to use, that Google chose not to share an explanation on the GT homepage. So instead, you literally type in a topic and hit “enter.” Once you’ve done this, it takes you to the results page.
You can change what data you’re seeing using the dropdown menus below the topic name on the results page. You can choose whether you’re seeing data from the entire world, one particular country, or even the state you’re working in.
You can also change the timeframe you’re pulling the data from with options like the “last hour,” the “ last 12 months,” or even the “past 5 years.” This gives you plenty of valuable information for comparison!
You can even break down the type of Google search. This comes in handy when you’re looking for information specific to Google Shopping, Youtube, or image searches.
One incredible feature is the ability to compare different topics. For example, if you’re looking to open a bakery, you can compare the types of bakeries to see what has been the most successful. For example, you can take the search terms “gluten-free barley” and “organic bakery” to see which one has performed better in searches over time.
How to Use Google Trends for Marketing
Business Ideas
So, you can pull all of this incredible data, but what can you actually do with it? Using the bakery example above is a great way to do market research. If you’ve been dreaming of starting your own business or taking yours to a more niche level, this is perfect for you!
Simply compare all the business ideas you have and see which one is the best performer over time. Of course, we all want a business that will succeed over time, which can help show you if it will succeed.
Seasonal Marketing & Content Creation
Another way you can use Google Trends to inform your marketing decisions is for seasonal promotions. Find out what time of year your customers are searching for a specific product and then promote it accordingly. You may be shocked to see that customers search for specific products earlier or later than you’d think. This helps make the most of your marketing time and budget.
What’s Trending & What’s on the Downwards Trend
You can also find out which products, services, or topics are on a downward trend. A great example of this is researching fad diets. If you’re looking to see which ones are most popular, you can compare the keto diet, paleo diet, and Atkins to find out which one is the most popular as of late. You would also see which diets used to be popular but that no longer are. This can help you save time and heartache on a wasted investment.
Topic Clustering
Have you ever wondered how Google groups related topics? Google Trends is a phenomenal way to find out! For example, if you were to search the topic of football, you would be given a list of related topics and search queries. You can even see which states these searches are most popular in.
Knowing What’s Trending
Okay, this one sounds basic, but stick with us. If you’re creating content for your blog, Youtube channel, or even social media, this can be a great way to use it.
You can go to the “recently trending” section of the Google Trends homepage and see what’s trending in different countries. This allows you to monopolize on these topics so you can catch users while they’re searching for a hot topic.
Just imagine how much traffic you can lead to your site! Just be careful that you are still choosing topics that are relevant to your business for SEO purposes.
No matter what your business is or what types of content you’re creating, Google Trends can be an invaluable tool. We highly encourage you to head to the GT page and mess around with it for a while. You’ll see how easy it is to use and how powerful it is for your marketing strategies!